Grate

ABSTRACT

A row of elongated parallel bars is provided each having spaced opposite ends. At their opposite ends the bars are connected by two elongated spacing and connecting strips extending along the row and consisting of elastically yieldable material. Each of these strips is provided on one side with longitudinally spaced recesses each accommodating a portion of one of the bars in mating relationship, and at the other side intermediate consecutive ones of the recesses the strips are provided with slots extending towards the one side to facilitate rolling up of the grate in the direction towards the one side.

United States Patent [1 1 Pass [ 1 Jan. 16, 1973 [54] GRATE [75]Inventor: Werner Pass, 583 Schwelm, Westfalen, Germany [22] Filed: July13, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 54,249

Sohn,

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 26, 1970 Germany ..P 20 08926.3

[52] US. Cl. ..52/666, 52/108, 52/20, 52/645 [51] Int. Cl ..E04c 2/42[58] Field of Search ..52/656, 473, 633, 690, 645, 52/664,177,181,180,666,20, 108; 94/11, 13, 27; 161/117; 156/211; 15/215, 216, 217;

345,291 7/1886 Fein ..15/216 3,469,359 9/1969 Nagin ..52/177 2,336,85212/1943 Elmendorf ..156/211 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 429,6095/1926 Germany ..52/108 958,491 5/1964 Great Britain....... ..52/711,044,586 10/1966 Great Britain ....52/220 1,195,497 4/1958 France....52/l77 459,453 9/1950 Italy ..52/393 Primary Examiner- -Frank L.Abbott Assistant Examiner-Henry E. Raduazo Attorney-Michael S. Striker[5 7 ABSTRACT A row of elongated parallel bars is provided each havingspaced opposite ends. At their opposite ends the bars are connected bytwo elongated spacing and connecting strips extending along the row andconsisting of elastically yieldable material. Each of these strips isprovided on one side with longitudinally spaced recesses eachaccommodating a portion of one of the bars in mating relationship, andat the other side intermediate consecutive ones of the recesses thestrips are provided with slots extending towards the one side tofacilitate rolling up of the grate in the direction towards the oneside.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEDJAN 16 ms 3.710.529

saw 1 nr 2 INVENTOR: Wzwce A5;

PATENTEDJAN 15 ms SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG! INVENTOR= Wrens; a $5 v flwfiw GRATEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to agrate, and more particularly to a grate which may be used advantageouslybut not exclusively for covering heating channels, storm or other drainsor the like.

Such grates are of course already known and in themselves are not novel.However, they are still capable as well as in need of being improved.One improvement which has already been made in grate constructions ofthis type is to connect the individual grate bars at their opposite endswith spacer and connector strips of an elastically yieldable material,such as natural or synthetic rubber or synthetic plastic resin materialor the like. The purpose is to make the grate somewhat flexible so thatit can follow variations in the contour of the open side of a channel orthe like over which it is to be positioned, and also to maintain thegrate bars in position without undue noise, it being evident that thematerial of the spacing and connecting strips will serve to cushion thegrate bars which are usually of metallic material. This construction israther inexpensive to make and the grate bars are arranged in recessesof quadratic or rectangular cross-section which are provided in thespacer strips so that they can be withdrawn upwardly-that istransversely to the elongation of the spacer strips-as seen withreference to the upper side of the grate bar. Such grate constructionscan be rolled up when it is necessary to gain access to the channel overwhich they are positioned, for instance for cleaning or the like, and inso doing the elongated spacing strips are elastically deformed. However,because the spacing strips must be relatively thick they do not yieldvery readily and therefore rolling-up of such a grate can take placeonly on a rather large radius.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toovercome certain of the disadvantages set forth above with respect tothe prior art.

More particularly it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved grate constructionwhich is not possessed of such disadvantages.

Still more specifically the invention aims to provide an improved grateconstruction which can be rolled up in a much tighter andsmallerdiameter roll than is possible with the known prior-art grateconstructions, and wherein the grate bars cannot be withdrawn from thespacer strips in any direction other than lengthwise of the respectivegrate bars.

In pursuance of the above objects, and others which will become apparenthereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a grate, particularlyfor covering open channels and the like, which comprises a row ofelongated at least substantially parallel bars each having spacedopposite ends, and at least two elongated spacing and connecting stripsof elastically yieldable material each extending along this row andconnecting the bars in the region of one of their ends. The strips eachhave one side provided with longitudinally spaced recesses andaccommodating a portion of one of the bars and an opposite side which isprovided with elongated slits each located between two consecutive onesofthese recesses and extending towards the one side.

By the provision of these slits I assure that the strips-and thereforethe entire grate constructioncan be rolled up on a much smaller radius,that is it will form a roll of a much smaller diameter than heretoforepossible. Of course, the grate will be rolled up in such a manner thatthe slits will be located at the radially outer side of the respectiveconvolutions which are being formed.

It is advantageous that the slits have a depth which is on the order ofapproximately percent of the thickness of the strips so that onlyapproximately 20 percent of the thickness of the strips must undergoelastic deformation upon rolling up. Because the op posite surfacesbounding the respective slits will normally abut when the grate ispositioned flat, that is when it is not rolled up, the grate bars arereliably maintained in their respective positions and cannot tilt withreference to one another.

It is advantageous that the inner ends of the slits be provided withenlargements, that is that the cross-section of the slits be enlarged atthe inner end, because this prevents tearing of the material of thestrips in the region of the inner end when the grate is rolled up.

To prevent withdrawal of the grate bars from the recesses of the stripsin which they are accommodated, the invention also contemplatesproviding the grate bars-or at least the portions thereof which areaccommodated in the recesses-as well as the recesses with an undercutcomplementary cross-sectional configuration. Thus, the grate bars can beinserted and withdrawn only lengthwise of themselves, but cannot beremoved in direction transversely of the elongation of the strips. Thisis important because it prevents intentional removal of the gratebarsdue to vandalism, for instance-or accidental removal, which couldresult in accidents.

It is advantageous although not to be considered limiting for the gratebars to be hollow and to have a cross-sectional configuration oftrapezoidal shape, with the cross section being provided in the regionof the narrower end of the trapezium with lateral projections, and ofcourse with the recesses being of complementary cross-sectionalconfiguration. Not only does this provide for the desired undercuttingand thus reliable retention of the grate bars in their associatedrecesses, but also it assures a large surface area over which weight andforces acting upon the grate bars are transmitted to the spacing andconnecting strips. The width of the grate bars at the narrower end ofthe trapezium, plus the combined lateral width of the projectionsprovided in this region, advantageously equals the width of the gratebars at the wider end of the trapezium. With such a construction theupper and lower surfaces of the grate bars are of identical area despitethe fact that the cross-sectional configuration of the grate barsthemselves is trapezoidal or substantially trapezoidal. By making thegrate bars hollow l effect a saving not only in material but also ofweight.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a diagrammatic transversesectional elevation illustrating a channel with a grate according to thepresent invention shown in position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top-plan view of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section, on an enlarged scale, taken on lineIII-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section, also on an enlarged scale, taken online IVIV of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic end-elevational fragmentary view, showing thenovel grate partly rolled up.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing indetail it will be seen that the novel grate according to the presentinvention comprises two parallel elongated spacing and connecting strips4 of elastically yieldable material, such as rubber, whether of thenatural or synthetic type, synthetic plastic resin material or the like.They are provided at longitudinally spaced locations and in onelongitudinal side 4a-which hereafter will be designated as the upperside due to the position which it normally assumes when the grateoverlies an open side of a channel such as illustrated in FIG. 1withrecesses 5 (see FIG. 4) each of which accommodates a portion of anelongated grate bar 6. The grate bars 6 are arranged in parallelism withone another and the portions accommodated in the recesses 5 areconventionally their opposite end portions-although the strips 4 couldof course be arranged inwardly of the end portions just as there couldbe more than two strips, for instance two located at the end portionsand one intermediate the end portions. FIG. 1 shows the novel grateoverlying an upper open side of a channel 7 in which heat pipescontaining heating pipes 10, and the strips 4 are supported on a frame 8of angle irons or the like which is arranged at the upper edge of thechannel 7.

The cross-sectional configuration of the strips 4 is shown in thedrawing, particularly in FIG. 3, and is seen to be essentiallyquadratic. However, it can of course be of a different shape but what isessential is the fact that the strips 4 can be produced in a continuousmanner in form ofa coil or the like from which sections of requisitelength are simply severed when a grate such as the one shown in thedrawing is to be produced. As also shown in the drawing, andparticularly in FIG. 4, the grate bars 6 are hollow but of course theycould be solid. They are of metal but could be of other materials, forinstance a synthetic plastic, and an illustrated embodiment ofsubstantially trapezoidal cross-section. At the narrower downwardlydirected end of the trapezium they are provided with lateral projections11 and the width of the grate bars 6 at the narrower end of thetrapezium, including the projections 1], equals at least substantiallythe width at the wider end of the trapezium, although this is not afeature which is to be considered limiting.

FIG. 4 also shows that the cross-sectional configuration of the recesses5 and the strips 4 is complementary to that of the grate bars 6, withcut-outs 12 being provided for the lateral projections 11. Thus, thegrate bars 6 can be insertedinto the recesses 5 only axially, that islengthwise of their respective elongation and they can be withdrawn onlyin the same manner. This makes it impossible to withdraw themtransversely of the elongation of the strips 4, that is upwardly as seenwith respect to the positioning of the grate in FIG. I, avoiding thepossibility that accidentally or due to calculated vandalism one or moreof the grate bars could be readily removed with the resultant danger ofaccident to persons unaware of this fact. In the claims the upper sideof strip 4 in FIG. 4 is referred to as the first side, and the lowerside is referred to as the second side.

As the drawing also shows, particularly in FIG. 4, the height of thegrate bars 6 is substantially greater than their width and it is theirwidth which is oriented lengthwise of the strips 4. With thisconstruction it is possible to use narrow grate bars which, however,despite their narrow configuration are capable of supporting significantloads. The spacing between consecutive ones of the recesses 5andtherefore between consecutive grate bars 6is advantageously double thewidth of the grate bars 6, themselves so that relatively large spacesare free between consecutive grate bars, a consideration which may forinstance be of importance with respect to the flow of heat between thegrate bars.

FIG. 3 particularly shows that the recesses 5 are open-ended, as willalready have been inferred from the statement that the grate bars 6 areinserted endwise into the recesses. The drawing also shows that thedepth of the recesses 5 corresponds preferably to the height of thegrate bars 6 so that the latter are flush with the upper sides 4a of thestrips 4.

Because of its flexible or bendable characteristic the novel grate iscapable of conforming itself to all unevenesses which may be present inthe frame 8, or whatever other surface on which it is to be supported.This, in conjunction with the firm retention of the grate bars in thestrips 4, prevents banging or other noise of the grate bars.

If access is to be had to the channel 7, the grate is simply lifted offand rolled up about a line extending in parallelism with the grate bars6, with the rolling-up of course being accomplished in upward directionaway from the slits or incisions 13 which extend into the strips 4 fromthe side 4bnormally the downwards directed side-which is opposite theside 4a. These incisions or slits advantageously have a length or depthcorresponding to approximately percent of the thickness of the strips,that is the distance between the sides 4a and 4b. This assures that onlya relatively small material thickness of the strips 4 need be flexedwhen the grate is to be rolled up (as in FIG. 5) and this not onlyfacilitates rolling up but permits rolling up on a much smaller radiusthan heretofore possible. To prevent tearing of the material at the endsof the slits 13, the inner ends of the slits are provided withenlargements 14 which in the illustrated embodiment are of cylindricalcross-sectional configuration and extend transversely of the elongationof the strips 4, that is essentially in the same orientation as the axesof the grate bars 6. The manner in which the slots or slits l3facilitate rolling up of the grate is illustrated in FIG. 5 and it willbe appreciated that when the grate is flat or nearly flat, the sidefaces 15 and 16 bounding the opposite sides of the slots 13 will abutagainst one another whereby tilting of the grate bars 6 is reliablyprecluded.

Of course, various modifications may be made in the illustratedexemplary embodiment without departing from the scope or concept of thepresent invention. Thus, the cross-sectional configuration of the gratebars 6 and the strips 4 may be other than shown, the configuration ofthe slits or slots 13 may be different just as that of the enlargements14 may be varied, different materials may be used, and the like.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofconstructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in ashaped grate, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown,since various modifications and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention,and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended lclaim:

l. A grate, particularly for covering open channels and the like,comprising a row of elongated at least substantially parallel bars eachhaving spaced opposite ends; and at least two elongated spacing andconnecting strips of elastically yieldable material extending along saidrow and each connecting said bars in the re gion of one of said ends,said strips each having a first side and a second side opposite saidfirst side and undercut recesses provided in said first side, each ofsaid recesses accommodating a complementary portion of one of said bars,said undercut recesses and said complementary portions preventingwithdrawal of said bars from said recesses in directions other thanlengthwise of the respective bars said bars being flush with said firstside of said strips, and said second side of each of said strips beingprovided with slits extending in synthetic rubbers, and synthetic resinmaterials.

4. A grate as defined in claim 1, said strips having a predeterminedthickness between said first and said second side; and wherein saidslits have a depth corresponding to substantially percent of saidthickness.

5. A grate as defined in claim 1, said slits having inner ends closer tosaid first side and each slit having a widened inner end portion.

6. A grate as defined in claim 5, wherein said widened inner endportions have a cross-sectional configuration resembling a cylinderwhose axis extends transversely to the elongation of the respectiveslits.

7. A grate as defined in claim 1, wherein said bars are hollow profiledbar members.

8. A grate as defined in claim 1, said bars having a predeterminedmaximum dimension in direction lengthwise of said strip, and consecutiveones of said recesses being spaced by a distance corresponding at leastsubstantially to twice said maximum dimension.

9. A grate as defined in claim 1, wherein said recesses and said barsare of complementary cross-sectional configuration.

10. A grate, particularly for covering open channels and the like,comprising a row of elongated at least substantially parallel bars eachhaving spaced opposite ends; and at least two elongated spacing andconnecting strips of elastically yieldable material extending along saidrow and each connecting said bars in the region of one of said ends,said strips each having a first side and a second side opposite saidfirst side and undercut recesses provided in said first side, each ofsaid recesses accommodating a portion of one of said bars, and saidrecesses and at least said portions of said bars being of complementarycross-sectional configuration, said recesses and said undercutcomplementary portions preventing withdrawal of said bars from saidrecesses in directions other than lengthwise of the respective bars, andsaid second side of each of said strips being provided with slitsextending in direction towards said first side, and wherein saidcross-sectional configuration is substantially trapezoidal with thenarrower end of the trapezium being closer to said second side, andwherein said bars are provided with lateral projections located at andwider than said narrower end of their respective cross-section and saidrecesses are provided with complementary lateral cu t outs located atthe narrower end of their respective crosssection and accommodating saidprojections.

11. A grate as defined in claim 10, wherein the transverse dimension ofsaid bars at said narrower end of their cross-section plus said lateralprojections at said narrower end at least substantially equals thetransverse dimension of said bars at the wider end of their respectivecross-section.

1. A grate, particularly for covering open channels and the like,comprising a row of elongated at least substantially parallel bars eachhaving spaced opposite ends; and at least two elongated spacing andconnecting strips of elastically yieldable material extending along saidrow and each connecting said bars in the region of one of said ends,said strips each having a first side and a second side opposite saidfirst side and undercut recesses provided in said first side, each ofsaid recesses accommodating a complementary portion of one of said bars,said undercut recesses and said complementary portions preventingwithdrawal of said bars from said recesses in directions other thanlengthwise of the respective bars said bars being flush with said firstside of said strips, and said second side of each of said strips beingprovided with slits extending in direction towards said first side.
 2. Agrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said recesses and at least saidportions of said bars are of complementary non-circular cross-sectionalconfiguration, whereby to prevent rotation of said bars with respect tosaid strips.
 3. A grate as defined in claim 1, wherein said strips areat least predominantly composed of a material selected from the groupcomprising natural and synthetic rubbers, and synthetic resin materials.4. A grate as defined in claim 1, said strips having a predeterminedthickness between said first and said second side; and wherein saidslits have a depth corresponding to substantially 80 percent of saidthickness.
 5. A grate as defined in claim 1, said slits having innerends closer to said first side and each slit having a widened inner endportion.
 6. A grate as defined in claim 5, wherein said widened innerend portions have a cross-sectional configuration resembling a cylinderwhose axis extends transversely to the elongation of the respectiveslits.
 7. A grate as defined in claim 1, wherein said bars are hollowprofiled bar members.
 8. A grate as defined in claim 1, said bars havinga predetermined maximum dimension in direction lengthwise of said strip,and consecutive ones of said recesses being spaced by a distancecorresponding at least substantially to twice said maximum dimension. 9.A grate as defined in claim 1, wherein said recesses and said bars areof complementary cross-sectional configuration.
 10. A grate,particularly for covering open channels and the like, comprising a rowof elongated at least substantially parallel bars each having spacedopposite ends; and at least two elongated spacing and connecting stripsof elastically yieldable material extending along said row and eachconnecting said bars in the region of one of said ends, said strips eachhaving a first side and a second side opposite said first side andundercut recesses provided in said first side, each of said recessesaccommodating a portion of one of said bars, and said recesses and atleast said portions of said bars being of complementary cross-sectionalconfiguration, said recesses and said undercut complementary portionspreventing withdrawal of said bars from said recesses in directionsother than lengthwise of the respective bars, and said second side ofeach of said strips being provided with slits extending in directiontowards said first side, and wherein said cross-sectional configurationis substantially trapezoidal with the narrower End of the trapeziumbeing closer to said second side, and wherein said bars are providedwith lateral projections located at and wider than said narrower end oftheir respective cross-section and said recesses are provided withcomplementary lateral cut-outs located at the narrower end of theirrespective cross-section and accommodating said projections.
 11. A grateas defined in claim 10, wherein the transverse dimension of said bars atsaid narrower end of their cross-section plus said lateral projectionsat said narrower end at least substantially equals the transversedimension of said bars at the wider end of their respectivecross-section.